Fall Rigs for Late Walleye Fishing

From late summer though fall, live-bait fishing catches walleye every day in Wawang Lake. Other methods may catch more, but don’t count on it.   Especially when that weight sliding on your main line is perfectly in tune with depth, wind, bait type and size.

A leader separates a struggling live bait from that weight, giving it room to swim, squirm and attract fish. Simple. Beautiful. Deadly. But the key is putting that living minnow, leech or crawler on a target below the boat. Like a bombardier, rigging experts know how to triangulate their targets and allow for current, velocity and depth.  But being a rigging bombardier doesn’t require magic or genius. Triangulating, in this case, is simple. As you move deeper, use a larger weight. As the wind picks up, go with a larger weight. And as the size of the bait increases – well, you get the idea.

There is no doubt that it’s a proven system, and the most efficient live-bait delivery system possible.  Success is really about location, followed by time of year and bait selection. Carefully considering these ups your odds. The key to success with rigging is placing live bait precisely on a small target below the boat, and to do that it’s better to use a weight that is too heavy than one that’s too light.

• What are bass anglers good at – Accurate pitching to visible targets.

• What are walleye anglers good at – Putting a sinker in a 12-inch circle 25-feet down.

• That’s why sinker size and type is critical.

Leaders testing 4- to 8-pounds and 4 feet long (from swivel to hook) are optimum most of the time. Some anglers primarily rigs with two types of sinkers from late summer on: Lindy Walking Sinkers – the most popular rigging weights ever – and Lindy Rattlin’ No-Snagg Sinkers.

Lindy rigs really shine on main-lake points and humps from late summer through fall.  They maintain bottom contact to cover those critical transitions from hard to soft bottom that attract baitfish. Transitions are classic rigging zones.  Transitions show up on sonar – the hard bottom showing bright and dense while soft substrates return a weaker signal.

Use a sensitive, medium-light, 7-foot rod with braided line on the reel.  Braid doesn’t stretch, so it transmits vibration and feel much better.  You can tell when your bait is almost to that point where the bottom changes, helping you visualize exactly where it is.

During late summer, walleyes move out on main-lake points and humps to depths of 20 to 25 feet. By late autumn, it’s common to find them 35 to 55 feet down.  Follow them down through fall with heavier sinkers.  If it’s windy, go even heavier. Again, it’s better to go too heavy than too light. If you can’t feel bottom, go up a notch in weight.

Weekend anglers often forget that rigging isn’t just dragging baits around on bottom.   Criss-cross transitions, moving from shallow to deep and back again.

When marking walleye on the edge of a break at 25 feet, snake from 27 to 23 and back down.  When the bait’s moving away from them, going shallower or deeper, they react as if it’s trying to get away.   Also lift the rig off bottom as it approaches a marked fish.  Using the Rattlin’ No Snagg Sinker, shake it. Raising it off bottom can trigger a reluctant fish. It’s that escape trigger – making walleye think the baitfish is moving away.

Which brings up another important point, after every bite, try to remember exactly what you were doing before it happened – what direction you were going, how fast you were moving, how high or fast you lifted the bait. All those factors become pattern identification. That’s how you go on to catch four, five or a dozen more. And once you catch a few fish off a point or hump, try to find the same kind of spots. That’s how you create patterns with Lindy rigs in the fall.

When a fish bites, feed it line for at least 10 seconds while slowly maneuvering the boat toward the fish.   Sometimes wait up to a minute.  If they really whack it, it’s 10 seconds.  If they barely pick it up, let them take it longer and point the rod right at the fish and move the boat over it, slowly picking up slack. When you feel tension, set. If you miss,  let them take it longer next time.

The sinker selection is the key element that many anglers overlook for late-summer, early fall walleye rigging.

It’s all about striking a balance between wind, depth, and bait size. You want to stay relatively vertical in deep water. Mostly use 1/2- to 1-ounce weights late summer through fall because walleyes are 25 to 45 feet down. And use bigger minnows in fall, lip hooked on size 4 to size 1 octopus-style hooks. You want to be right below the boat when you’re on fish, but you have to keep moving to find them, so you have to strike a balance that way, too. Once you start marking fish, zero in on that depth.

Sometimes it helps to pulse your trolling motor and change direction and speed.

That’s what triggers strikes when Lindy rigging – slight variations in speed and direction. And if using that Rattlin’ No Snagg sinker, lift, drop and shake it a lot to activate those rattles. That triggers strikes, too. But choose the shape and type of sinker based on bottom type, cover and conditions to be efficient.

• The classic Lindy Walking Sinker is perfect for sand, gravel and subtle transitions in clear water.
• The No Snagg shines around broken rock, wood and boulders, and the Rattlin’ No Snagg is right whenever the water is cloudy.

Another bonus is that No Snagg wobbles a little bit, which moves the bait. It twitches a leech, crawler, or minnow just a little bit. That’s all it can take to trigger a walleye.

But don’t forget to zig-zag. And pause when you mark a fish. Lift the bait, too. And shake it. Just dragging bait around won’t cut it most days.

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Fishing Maps Is The Key to Success

No Other Resorts, Homes or Cottages on our 5,000 acre lake.  This fishing giant is for our guests only!  Join us at Wawang Lake for some sensational fishing! Catching fish starts with preparation! Yes, a big statement…but in the end successful anglers have discovered a tool more important than custom fishing rods,   “secret” lures or state of the art depthfinders. Preparation spent   studying quality contour fishing maps is always important. This time spent reading and learning from researched fishing maps is the most significant key to improving skills so fish are caught on most outings- for gamefish in our lake such as walleye and northern pike. It has been said before but deserves repeating. A quality fishing map has been compared to the pirate’s treasure map, leading us to the spot that yields our special prize…treasure in the form of the fish we want to catch. Good anglers take that next step in skill by challenging themselves with new waters – whether a family vacation to northern Ontario or serious fishing trip to Wawang Lake located in NW Ontario. And going to new water without studying the contour map is like going to fight a grizzly bear armed with a pen knife.In the last 30 years hydrographic maps (with contours) have come into their own as fishing equipment has moved through a sea change of technology – quality depthfinders, GPS, underwater cameras, along with huge   changes in rods, reels and terminal tackle. Much of the push has come from the incredible success of walleye tournaments and further enhanced recently by other fishing organizations promoting tournaments. While all of us can get swept up in the latest fad, lure or gadget, fishing maps and map books provide the basic knowledge for everyone –  from novice angler to the pro’s.Satellite mapping is now being used but remains limited because of the inability to “see” and map below the surface of stained water. New computer created mapping technology has enhanced accuracy, but  most fishing maps remain based on Ontario or Provincial efforts, which originally came about not for fishing but boat navigation. A quality fishing maps  starts with the fundamental framework – an accurate representation of the lake outline and contours. Contours are no more than a series of lines that depict the lake slope from the shoreline to the deepest basin.   With contours in place, quality fishing maps providing superb clues to fishing success – displaying submerged islands, reefs, humps, flats, elongated submerged   points, flats, and more. These basic components are loosely called “structure” – a term dear to the hearts of any fisherman – beginner to expert. Each map – no matter whether detailed or hand- drawn will  have some form of legend and compass direction – the arrow pointing north.   The contour map is far from the whole story. Most lake maps get to the contour stage, including some of the newer computer generated on the market…but won’t take the next steps, which require research, study and   understanding of the relationship of fish to their environment throughout the seasons.  This fish migration of information that we’ve gathered for over 40 years has been detailed on our lake map specifically for our guests. All of us quickly discover the fundamental law – no   “food” – no fish. With the sole exception of spawning, gamefish will always – and “always” is a strong word – be relating   to “groceries” and weedlines tend to be the most important attracting cover. Fish will never be far away from their next meal…except for the most unusual circumstances, not important to our discussion. The forage or prey ranges through the whole cycle – from   microscopic zooplankton for fingerlings to juvenile fish and large minnows for gamefish. All are available on the weedline cover and the legend of a good map must display the symbols of the three basic weed types. Changes in bottom  materials can be everything to fishing success. As anglers ourselves and host to many fishermen, we know where one component transitions to another is and where fish will be caught. The change from shoreline sand to gravel or gravel to broken rock, or sand to mid-basin muck, for example, creates edges attractive to all fish. Walleye will often move loosely along transition zones of gravel merging to broken rock or cobble. All pertinent bottom materials and shoreline structure is shown in detail on our lake map. Let’s pause for just a moment. Everything said before   indicates that gamefish are creatures that relate to objects –   boulders on the lake bottom, humps, submerged points, weedlines, docks,  well you get the idea. Let’s think of “edge” as the key concept….fish relate to anything that provides an “edge” and all of these structure and cover elements provide something different…our “edge.” With that said, contour lines are the tools that allow us to visualize the slope and shape of the lake bottom. To visualize we have to “see” below the two dimensional world of the lake surface. One must create a mental image of what lies below…the gradual slope that drops sharply to the lake bottom; a hump that rises from a bottom of 20 feet and tops out at 10 feet; the long underwater point that is shown by the contour lines, a lake hole surrounded by shallower depths; an inside turn depicted by the contour lines, and so forth. For example, a submerged point – usually an important lake structure for a variety of gamefish – will appear as a series   of contour lines pointing away from the shore like a finger or knife blade. Remember the basic rule   – the closer the contour lines the steeper the drop-off edge…or conversely the wider the interval the more gradual the slope…perhaps to even a region very flat. The numbers on the contours tell us the contour interval – if one line indicates five foot depths and the second line 10 feet, we have a five foot contour interval. This interval again helps develop the visualization of how steep the slope. When a good fisherman sits down to study a fishing map, they are looking for those “edges” already mentioned.  An edge or change in bottom or cover (weeds, drowned wood, docks, etc.) will attract and hold fish for a number of reasons although the most important one usually revolves around attracting forage.   While looking at the contours try drawing the hump, inside turn, submerged point, basin hole, etc. depicted by the contour lines. This exercise really helps in learning the visualization process. But a restrained comment about angler behavior is needed.  Pulling out a map book or fishing map while motoring away from the dock is too late…unless serious time has been spent studying the map to formulate a plan for fishing.   They will plan every detail, including favorite “secret” lures but not look at the map to formulate a game plan based on the basics – what species and what season. Catch fish by solving the location puzzle. The basic parts are quite simple: A. Study your favorite species seeking several answers. When do they spawn, what is their forage, what is the water temperature preferred, where are their locations on a seasonal basis. Significantly, where does your favorite species live in the   lake – weeds, drop-off edges, drowned wood, docks, cribs, deep underwater   points….well, you get the picture. Expert anglers are knowledgeable about the fish to be pursued.  It can’t be said more forcefully – know the habits of the fish you’re after. B. Obtain a quality map book or fishing map that shows species and forage available and describes structure and cover (weeds, drowned wood, etc.) C. Learn the map and mark areas to begin fishing…again based on where fish should be located based on the season – spring, summer, and fall. If provided marked fishing areas, fish them and add to the areas by marking the map with information important to you. D. Seek information –   ask questions for the lodge host. Are the fish in the shallows yet? Is spawning complete? Are the walleye still relating to the shallow weedlines…or have they moved deeper yet? What are the lake levels….because if down 3 feet;   we have to be aware of possible “new” hazards because of the change in depth. Go over a map with the lodge personnel, asking good questions on location of your favorite fish. A researched product –  map – is a library of information – far more than a mere depiction of contour lines. It starts with species…is there a good walleye population on this water.  Our fisheries is sustained by natural reproduction and YES, we do have a slot policy on the lake   What are the trends – is the fishery up, have   populations improved…or have changes occurred? What are the growth rates –   fast or slow. Each question answered opens the door to success – fish caught. Successful anglers use a combination of tools for success. Obviously, a quality depthfinder is a must…as is learning to interpret what is being shown. However, knowledge about your favorite gamefish coupled with location details and the fishing map – is the real key to success. No secret lure, new rod or reel, or gadget can match knowing your fish and their aquatic world. The location question is easily solved when equipped with great information based on solid research and analysis. We at Wawang Lake Resort believe our lake map provides the absolute best combination of years of researched fishing information with accurate details showing fish species migration for the different seasons and contour lines accurately showing depths that many fisherman have found to be quite helpful during their fishing trip. Follow our HUNTING BLOG WEB   RATES     FISH    HUNT    CABINS    PHOTOS TESTIMONIALS    BROCHURE    HUNT BOOKLET Subscribe to Blog via Email Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Email Address: Subscribe Name(required) Email(required) Comment(required) Email Me.... 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Casting for FALL PIKE

Fall is a transition period, and as autumn leaves change colors, many anglers switch almost exclusively to trolling for northern pike from late August to ice-up.

Yet the fall still holds plenty of casting opportunities, and it’s the season for trophy fish. Casting in fall conditions is tough going; the trick is using effective baits for the cold-water conditions. Here’s an overview of some fall casting baits with some tips on how to use them.

Jerkbaits
You should consider jerkbaits as mandatory lures for any autumn outing. The surge-and-pause action on lures, such as Bobbie Baits or Suicks, appeals to the sometimes-sluggish disposition of fall pike.

The key to working jerkbaits is long, slow pulls, big pauses, and long ‘hang time.’ The more hang time the better.  This hang time gives pike an opportunity to move in and inspect baits. The next pull of the lure often triggers hits

Classic Jerkbaits

There is no wrong place to cast jerkbaits in the fall. Prime areas include deep, healthy weedbeds, sharp breaks, and points near deep water. Having weighted models is important to be able to count them down to effectively work deep structures.

A good assortment of fall baits for pike would include:

• Bobbie Bait jerkbait
• Hughes River Hughey
• Muskie Mania Jake
• Joe Bucher Jointed Depthraider
• Musky Innovations Bull Dawg

Glidebaits
Glidebaits are another good fall choice. They don’t require long pulls of line like jerkbaits. Rather they’re worked with a short twitch, followed by a pause on slack line. This causes the bait to dart and swim to one side. On the next twitch it will cut to the other side.

Glidebaits give off a slow, dying baitfish action. Their slow presentation can trigger strikes.  that because baits dart out to the side, it gives them a large profile, which is a big-time fish attractor. Popular gliders include:

• Sledges
• Hughes River baits, or Phantoms.

Fishing with glider on a sunken island

Glidebaits are particularly deadly over top of deep weed beds and they also do well anywhere you’d throw a jerkbait.

Minnowbaits, Crankbaits
Some pike fishermen like to use baits that maintain a relatively straight trajectory when retrieved. The straight path makes it easy for pike to hone in and hunt the bait.  Beyond jerkbaits, minnowbaits, such as Musky Mania Tackle’s Jakes or Grandmas, are two top choices for fall casting. Work them on a straight retrieve with the odd twitch.

Another choice is crankbaits such as:   Musky Mania Tackle’s Ernies or Joe Bucher’s Depth Raiders, to get down deep near the edges of structure. These baits trigger hits when banged along rock piles or fished on a stop-and-go retrieve. Use baits in both straight and jointed models.

Plastic Baits
Finally, large, weighted, plastic baits or swimbaits, such as Muskie Innovation’s Bull Dawgs, Castaic’s Swimmin’ Sardine, or Storm’s Wildeye Swim Shad, are fall favorites for many anglers. Extremely versatile, these baits can be brought in on slow, steady retrieves, or allowed to sink to a certain depth and then brought in on a rise-and-fall pattern. Additionally, they can be fished like giant jigs, making them an excellent bait to probe deep holes or drop offs.

Slow Retrieve
Regardless of the type of bait, the importance of working them slowly. is because fish don’t feed as frequently in the fall as they do in summer, so you need to give them a presentation they won’t miss.

Fishing with glider on shallows

Although there are a variety of baits to cast in autumn, one factor always remains constant — the importance of powerful hook sets. Cold-water strikes range from the subdued, with the sudden feeling of extra weight on the line, to shoulder-socket jarring. Act quickly and drive those hooks home. Fall is trophy time and you might just hook the biggest fish of your life!

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Casting for FALL PIKE

Fall is a transition period, and as autumn leaves change colors, many anglers switch almost exclusively to trolling for northern pike from late August to ice-up.

Yet the fall still holds plenty of casting opportunities, and it’s the season for trophy fish. Casting in fall conditions is tough going; the trick is using effective baits for the cold-water conditions. Here’s an overview of some fall casting baits with some tips on how to use them.

Jerkbaits
You should consider jerkbaits as mandatory lures for any autumn outing. The surge-and-pause action on lures, such as Bobbie Baits or Suicks, appeals to the sometimes-sluggish disposition of fall pike.

The key to working jerkbaits is long, slow pulls, big pauses, and long ‘hang time.’ The more hang time the better.  This hang time gives pike an opportunity to move in and inspect baits. The next pull of the lure often triggers hits

Classic Jerkbaits

There is no wrong place to cast jerkbaits in the fall. Prime areas include deep, healthy weedbeds, sharp breaks, and points near deep water. Having weighted models is important to be able to count them down to effectively work deep structures.

A good assortment of fall baits for pike would include:

• Bobbie Bait jerkbait
• Hughes River Hughey
• Muskie Mania Jake
• Joe Bucher Jointed Depthraider
• Musky Innovations Bull Dawg

Glidebaits
Glidebaits are another good fall choice. They don’t require long pulls of line like jerkbaits. Rather they’re worked with a short twitch, followed by a pause on slack line. This causes the bait to dart and swim to one side. On the next twitch it will cut to the other side.

Glidebaits give off a slow, dying baitfish action. Their slow presentation can trigger strikes.  that because baits dart out to the side, it gives them a large profile, which is a big-time fish attractor. Popular gliders include:

• Sledges
• Hughes River baits, or Phantoms.

Fishing with glider on a sunken island

Glidebaits are particularly deadly over top of deep weed beds and they also do well anywhere you’d throw a jerkbait.

Minnowbaits, Crankbaits
Some pike fishermen like to use baits that maintain a relatively straight trajectory when retrieved. The straight path makes it easy for pike to hone in and hunt the bait.  Beyond jerkbaits, minnowbaits, such as Musky Mania Tackle’s Jakes or Grandmas, are two top choices for fall casting. Work them on a straight retrieve with the odd twitch.

Another choice is crankbaits such as:   Musky Mania Tackle’s Ernies or Joe Bucher’s Depth Raiders, to get down deep near the edges of structure. These baits trigger hits when banged along rock piles or fished on a stop-and-go retrieve. Use baits in both straight and jointed models.

Plastic Baits
Finally, large, weighted, plastic baits or swimbaits, such as Muskie Innovation’s Bull Dawgs, Castaic’s Swimmin’ Sardine, or Storm’s Wildeye Swim Shad, are fall favorites for many anglers. Extremely versatile, these baits can be brought in on slow, steady retrieves, or allowed to sink to a certain depth and then brought in on a rise-and-fall pattern. Additionally, they can be fished like giant jigs, making them an excellent bait to probe deep holes or drop offs.

Slow Retrieve
Regardless of the type of bait, the importance of working them slowly. is because fish don’t feed as frequently in the fall as they do in summer, so you need to give them a presentation they won’t miss.

Fishing with glider on shallows

Although there are a variety of baits to cast in autumn, one factor always remains constant — the importance of powerful hook sets. Cold-water strikes range from the subdued, with the sudden feeling of extra weight on the line, to shoulder-socket jarring. Act quickly and drive those hooks home. Fall is trophy time and you might just hook the biggest fish of your life!

Follow our HUNTING BLOG

WEB   RATES     FISH    HUNT    CABINS    PHOTOS
TESTIMONIALS    BROCHURE    HUNT BOOKLET

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Fall Rigs for Late Walleye Fishing

From late summer though fall, live-bait fishing catches walleye every day in Wawang Lake. Other methods may catch more, but don’t count on it.   Especially when that weight sliding on your main line is perfectly in tune with depth, wind, bait type and size.

A leader separates a struggling live bait from that weight, giving it room to swim, squirm and attract fish. Simple. Beautiful. Deadly. But the key is putting that living minnow, leech or crawler on a target below the boat. Like a bombardier, rigging experts know how to triangulate their targets and allow for current, velocity and depth.  But being a rigging bombardier doesn’t require magic or genius. Triangulating, in this case, is simple. As you move deeper, use a larger weight. As the wind picks up, go with a larger weight. And as the size of the bait increases – well, you get the idea.

There is no doubt that it’s a proven system, and the most efficient live-bait delivery system possible.  Success is really about location, followed by time of year and bait selection. Carefully considering these ups your odds. The key to success with rigging is placing live bait precisely on a small target below the boat, and to do that it’s better to use a weight that is too heavy than one that’s too light.

• What are bass anglers good at – Accurate pitching to visible targets.

• What are walleye anglers good at – Putting a sinker in a 12-inch circle 25-feet down.

• That’s why sinker size and type is critical.

Leaders testing 4- to 8-pounds and 4 feet long (from swivel to hook) are optimum most of the time. Some anglers primarily rigs with two types of sinkers from late summer on: Lindy Walking Sinkers – the most popular rigging weights ever – and Lindy Rattlin’ No-Snagg Sinkers.

Lindy rigs really shine on main-lake points and humps from late summer through fall.  They maintain bottom contact to cover those critical transitions from hard to soft bottom that attract baitfish. Transitions are classic rigging zones.  Transitions show up on sonar – the hard bottom showing bright and dense while soft substrates return a weaker signal.

Use a sensitive, medium-light, 7-foot rod with braided line on the reel.  Braid doesn’t stretch, so it transmits vibration and feel much better.  You can tell when your bait is almost to that point where the bottom changes, helping you visualize exactly where it is.

During late summer, walleyes move out on main-lake points and humps to depths of 20 to 25 feet. By late autumn, it’s common to find them 35 to 55 feet down.  Follow them down through fall with heavier sinkers.  If it’s windy, go even heavier. Again, it’s better to go too heavy than too light. If you can’t feel bottom, go up a notch in weight.

Weekend anglers often forget that rigging isn’t just dragging baits around on bottom.   Criss-cross transitions, moving from shallow to deep and back again.

When marking walleye on the edge of a break at 25 feet, snake from 27 to 23 and back down.  When the bait’s moving away from them, going shallower or deeper, they react as if it’s trying to get away.   Also lift the rig off bottom as it approaches a marked fish.  Using the Rattlin’ No Snagg Sinker, shake it. Raising it off bottom can trigger a reluctant fish. It’s that escape trigger – making walleye think the baitfish is moving away.

Which brings up another important point, after every bite, try to remember exactly what you were doing before it happened – what direction you were going, how fast you were moving, how high or fast you lifted the bait. All those factors become pattern identification. That’s how you go on to catch four, five or a dozen more. And once you catch a few fish off a point or hump, try to find the same kind of spots. That’s how you create patterns with Lindy rigs in the fall.

When a fish bites, feed it line for at least 10 seconds while slowly maneuvering the boat toward the fish.   Sometimes wait up to a minute.  If they really whack it, it’s 10 seconds.  If they barely pick it up, let them take it longer and point the rod right at the fish and move the boat over it, slowly picking up slack. When you feel tension, set. If you miss,  let them take it longer next time.

The sinker selection is the key element that many anglers overlook for late-summer, early fall walleye rigging.

It’s all about striking a balance between wind, depth, and bait size. You want to stay relatively vertical in deep water. Mostly use 1/2- to 1-ounce weights late summer through fall because walleyes are 25 to 45 feet down. And use bigger minnows in fall, lip hooked on size 4 to size 1 octopus-style hooks. You want to be right below the boat when you’re on fish, but you have to keep moving to find them, so you have to strike a balance that way, too. Once you start marking fish, zero in on that depth.

Sometimes it helps to pulse your trolling motor and change direction and speed.

That’s what triggers strikes when Lindy rigging – slight variations in speed and direction. And if using that Rattlin’ No Snagg sinker, lift, drop and shake it a lot to activate those rattles. That triggers strikes, too. But choose the shape and type of sinker based on bottom type, cover and conditions to be efficient.

• The classic Lindy Walking Sinker is perfect for sand, gravel and subtle transitions in clear water.
• The No Snagg shines around broken rock, wood and boulders, and the Rattlin’ No Snagg is right whenever the water is cloudy.

Another bonus is that No Snagg wobbles a little bit, which moves the bait. It twitches a leech, crawler, or minnow just a little bit. That’s all it can take to trigger a walleye.

But don’t forget to zig-zag. And pause when you mark a fish. Lift the bait, too. And shake it. Just dragging bait around won’t cut it most days.

Follow our HUNTING BLOG

WEB   RATES     FISH    HUNT    CABINS    PHOTOS
TESTIMONIALS    BROCHURE    HUNT BOOKLET

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Email Address:

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Email(required)

Comment(required)

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Casting for FALL PIKE

Fall is a transition period, and as autumn leaves change colors, many anglers switch almost exclusively to trolling for northern pike from late August to ice-up.

Yet the fall still holds plenty of casting opportunities, and it’s the season for trophy fish. Casting in fall conditions is tough going; the trick is using effective baits for the cold-water conditions. Here’s an overview of some fall casting baits with some tips on how to use them.

Jerkbaits
You should consider jerkbaits as mandatory lures for any autumn outing. The surge-and-pause action on lures, such as Bobbie Baits or Suicks, appeals to the sometimes-sluggish disposition of fall pike.

The key to working jerkbaits is long, slow pulls, big pauses, and long ‘hang time.’ The more hang time the better.  This hang time gives pike an opportunity to move in and inspect baits. The next pull of the lure often triggers hits

Classic Jerkbaits

There is no wrong place to cast jerkbaits in the fall. Prime areas include deep, healthy weedbeds, sharp breaks, and points near deep water. Having weighted models is important to be able to count them down to effectively work deep structures.

A good assortment of fall baits for pike would include:

• Bobbie Bait jerkbait
• Hughes River Hughey
• Muskie Mania Jake
• Joe Bucher Jointed Depthraider
• Musky Innovations Bull Dawg

Glidebaits
Glidebaits are another good fall choice. They don’t require long pulls of line like jerkbaits. Rather they’re worked with a short twitch, followed by a pause on slack line. This causes the bait to dart and swim to one side. On the next twitch it will cut to the other side.

Glidebaits give off a slow, dying baitfish action. Their slow presentation can trigger strikes.  that because baits dart out to the side, it gives them a large profile, which is a big-time fish attractor. Popular gliders include:

• Sledges
• Hughes River baits, or Phantoms.

Fishing with glider on a sunken island

Glidebaits are particularly deadly over top of deep weed beds and they also do well anywhere you’d throw a jerkbait.

Minnowbaits, Crankbaits
Some pike fishermen like to use baits that maintain a relatively straight trajectory when retrieved. The straight path makes it easy for pike to hone in and hunt the bait.  Beyond jerkbaits, minnowbaits, such as Musky Mania Tackle’s Jakes or Grandmas, are two top choices for fall casting. Work them on a straight retrieve with the odd twitch.

Another choice is crankbaits such as:   Musky Mania Tackle’s Ernies or Joe Bucher’s Depth Raiders, to get down deep near the edges of structure. These baits trigger hits when banged along rock piles or fished on a stop-and-go retrieve. Use baits in both straight and jointed models.

Plastic Baits
Finally, large, weighted, plastic baits or swimbaits, such as Muskie Innovation’s Bull Dawgs, Castaic’s Swimmin’ Sardine, or Storm’s Wildeye Swim Shad, are fall favorites for many anglers. Extremely versatile, these baits can be brought in on slow, steady retrieves, or allowed to sink to a certain depth and then brought in on a rise-and-fall pattern. Additionally, they can be fished like giant jigs, making them an excellent bait to probe deep holes or drop offs.

Slow Retrieve
Regardless of the type of bait, the importance of working them slowly. is because fish don’t feed as frequently in the fall as they do in summer, so you need to give them a presentation they won’t miss.

Fishing with glider on shallows

Although there are a variety of baits to cast in autumn, one factor always remains constant — the importance of powerful hook sets. Cold-water strikes range from the subdued, with the sudden feeling of extra weight on the line, to shoulder-socket jarring. Act quickly and drive those hooks home. Fall is trophy time and you might just hook the biggest fish of your life!

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Fall Rigs for Late Walleye Fishing

From late summer though fall, live-bait fishing catches walleye every day in Wawang Lake. Other methods may catch more, but don’t count on it.   Especially when that weight sliding on your main line is perfectly in tune with depth, wind, bait type and size.

25″ WALLEYE

27″ WALLEYE

26″ WALLEYE

A leader separates a struggling live bait from that weight, giving it room to swim, squirm and attract fish. Simple. Beautiful. Deadly. But the key is putting that living minnow, leech or crawler on a target below the boat. Like a bombardier, rigging experts know how to triangulate their targets and allow for current, velocity and depth.  But being a rigging bombardier doesn’t require magic or genius. Triangulating, in this case, is simple. As you move deeper, use a larger weight. As the wind picks up, go with a larger weight. And as the size of the bait increases – well, you get the idea.

There is no doubt that it’s a proven system, and the most efficient live-bait delivery system possible.  Success is really about location, followed by time of year and bait selection. Carefully considering these ups your odds. The key to success with rigging is placing live bait precisely on a small target below the boat, and to do that it’s better to use a weight that is too heavy than one that’s too light.

• What are bass anglers good at – Accurate pitching to visible targets.

• What are walleye anglers good at – Putting a sinker in a 12-inch circle 25-feet down.

• That’s why sinker size and type is critical.

Leaders testing 4- to 8-pounds and 4 feet long (from swivel to hook) are optimum most of the time. Some anglers primarily rigs with two types of sinkers from late summer on: Lindy Walking Sinkers – the most popular rigging weights ever – and Lindy Rattlin’ No-Snagg Sinkers.

Lindy rigs really shine on main-lake points and humps from late summer through fall.  They maintain bottom contact to cover those critical transitions from hard to soft bottom that attract baitfish. Transitions are classic rigging zones.  Transitions show up on sonar – the hard bottom showing bright and dense while soft substrates return a weaker signal.

Use a sensitive, medium-light, 7-foot rod with braided line on the reel.  Braid doesn’t stretch, so it transmits vibration and feel much better.  You can tell when your bait is almost to that point where the bottom changes, helping you visualize exactly where it is.

During late summer, walleyes move out on main-lake points and humps to depths of 20 to 25 feet. By late autumn, it’s common to find them 35 to 55 feet down.  Follow them down through fall with heavier sinkers.  If it’s windy, go even heavier. Again, it’s better to go too heavy than too light. If you can’t feel bottom, go up a notch in weight.

Weekend anglers often forget that rigging isn’t just dragging baits around on bottom.   Criss-cross transitions, moving from shallow to deep and back again.

When marking walleye on the edge of a break at 25 feet, snake from 27 to 23 and back down.  When the bait’s moving away from them, going shallower or deeper, they react as if it’s trying to get away.   Also lift the rig off bottom as it approaches a marked fish.  Using the Rattlin’ No Snagg Sinker, shake it. Raising it off bottom can trigger a reluctant fish. It’s that escape trigger – making walleye think the baitfish is moving away.

Which brings up another important point, after every bite, try to remember exactly what you were doing before it happened – what direction you were going, how fast you were moving, how high or fast you lifted the bait. All those factors become pattern identification. That’s how you go on to catch four, five or a dozen more. And once you catch a few fish off a point or hump, try to find the same kind of spots. That’s how you create patterns with Lindy rigs in the fall.

When a fish bites, feed it line for at least 10 seconds while slowly maneuvering the boat toward the fish.   Sometimes wait up to a minute.  If they really whack it, it’s 10 seconds.  If they barely pick it up, let them take it longer and point the rod right at the fish and move the boat over it, slowly picking up slack. When you feel tension, set. If you miss,  let them take it longer next time.

The sinker selection is the key element that many anglers overlook for late-summer, early fall walleye rigging.

It’s all about striking a balance between wind, depth, and bait size. You want to stay relatively vertical in deep water. Mostly use 1/2- to 1-ounce weights late summer through fall because walleyes are 25 to 45 feet down. And use bigger minnows in fall, lip hooked on size 4 to size 1 octopus-style hooks. You want to be right below the boat when you’re on fish, but you have to keep moving to find them, so you have to strike a balance that way, too. Once you start marking fish, zero in on that depth.

Sometimes it helps to pulse your trolling motor and change direction and speed.

That’s what triggers strikes when Lindy rigging – slight variations in speed and direction. And if using that Rattlin’ No Snagg sinker, lift, drop and shake it a lot to activate those rattles. That triggers strikes, too. But choose the shape and type of sinker based on bottom type, cover and conditions to be efficient.

• The classic Lindy Walking Sinker is perfect for sand, gravel and subtle transitions in clear water.
• The No Snagg shines around broken rock, wood and boulders, and the Rattlin’ No Snagg is right whenever the water is cloudy.

Another bonus is that No Snagg wobbles a little bit, which moves the bait. It twitches a leech, crawler, or minnow just a little bit. That’s all it can take to trigger a walleye.

But don’t forget to zig-zag. And pause when you mark a fish. Lift the bait, too. And shake it. Just dragging bait around won’t cut it most days.

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Fishing Maps Is The Key to Success

No Other Resorts, Homes or Cottages on our 5,000 acre lake.  This fishing giant is for our guests only!  Join us at Wawang Lake for some incredible fishing! Catching fish starts with preparation! Yes, a big statement…but in the end successful anglers have discovered a tool more important than custom fishing rods,   “secret” lures or state of the art depthfinders. Preparation spent   studying quality contour fishing maps is always important. This time spent reading and learning from researched fishing maps is the most significant key to improving skills so fish are caught on most outings- for gamefish in our lake such as walleye and northern pike. It has been said before but deserves repeating. A quality fishing map has been compared to the pirate’s treasure map, leading us to the spot that yields our special prize…treasure in the form of the fish we want to catch. Good anglers take that next step in skill by challenging themselves with new waters – whether a family vacation to northern Ontario or serious fishing trip to Wawang Lake located in NW Ontario. And going to new water without studying the contour map is like going to fight a grizzly bear armed with a pen knife.In the last 30 years hydrographic maps (with contours) have come into their own as fishing equipment has moved through a sea change of technology – quality depthfinders, GPS, underwater cameras, along with huge   changes in rods, reels and terminal tackle. Much of the push has come from the incredible success of walleye tournaments and further enhanced recently by other fishing organizations promoting tournaments. While all of us can get swept up in the latest fad, lure or gadget, fishing maps and map books provide the basic knowledge for everyone –  from novice angler to the pro’s.Satellite mapping is now being used but remains limited because of the inability to “see” and map below the surface of stained water. New computer created mapping technology has enhanced accuracy, but  most fishing maps remain based on Ontario or Provincial efforts, which originally came about not for fishing but boat navigation. A quality fishing maps  starts with the fundamental framework – an accurate representation of the lake outline and contours. Contours are no more than a series of lines that depict the lake slope from the shoreline to the deepest basin.   With contours in place, quality fishing maps providing superb clues to fishing success – displaying submerged islands, reefs, humps, flats, elongated submerged   points, flats, and more. These basic components are loosely called “structure” – a term dear to the hearts of any fisherman – beginner to expert. Each map – no matter whether detailed or hand- drawn will  have some form of legend and compass direction – the arrow pointing north.   The contour map is far from the whole story. Most lake maps get to the contour stage, including some of the newer computer generated on the market…but won’t take the next steps, which require research, study and   understanding of the relationship of fish to their environment throughout the seasons.  This fish migration of information that we’ve gathered for over 40 years has been detailed on our lake map specifically for our guests. All of us quickly discover the fundamental law – no   “food” – no fish. With the sole exception of spawning, gamefish will always – and “always” is a strong word – be relating   to “groceries” and weedlines tend to be the most important attracting cover. Fish will never be far away from their next meal…except for the most unusual circumstances, not important to our discussion. The forage or prey ranges through the whole cycle – from   microscopic zooplankton for fingerlings to juvenile fish and large minnows for gamefish. All are available on the weedline cover and the legend of a good map must display the symbols of the three basic weed types. Changes in bottom  materials can be everything to fishing success. As anglers ourselves and host to many fishermen, we know where one component transitions to another is and where fish will be caught. The change from shoreline sand to gravel or gravel to broken rock, or sand to mid-basin muck, for example, creates edges attractive to all fish. Walleye will often move loosely along transition zones of gravel merging to broken rock or cobble. All pertinent bottom materials and shoreline structure is shown in detail on our lake map. Let’s pause for just a moment. Everything said before   indicates that gamefish are creatures that relate to objects –   boulders on the lake bottom, humps, submerged points, weedlines, docks,  well you get the idea. Let’s think of “edge” as the key concept….fish relate to anything that provides an “edge” and all of these structure and cover elements provide something different…our “edge.” With that said, contour lines are the tools that allow us to visualize the slope and shape of the lake bottom. To visualize we have to “see” below the two dimensional world of the lake surface. One must create a mental image of what lies below…the gradual slope that drops sharply to the lake bottom; a hump that rises from a bottom of 20 feet and tops out at 10 feet; the long underwater point that is shown by the contour lines, a lake hole surrounded by shallower depths; an inside turn depicted by the contour lines, and so forth. For example, a submerged point – usually an important lake structure for a variety of gamefish – will appear as a series   of contour lines pointing away from the shore like a finger or knife blade. Remember the basic rule   – the closer the contour lines the steeper the drop-off edge…or conversely the wider the interval the more gradual the slope…perhaps to even a region very flat. The numbers on the contours tell us the contour interval – if one line indicates five foot depths and the second line 10 feet, we have a five foot contour interval. This interval again helps develop the visualization of how steep the slope. When a good fisherman sits down to study a fishing map, they are looking for those “edges” already mentioned.  An edge or change in bottom or cover (weeds, drowned wood, docks, etc.) will attract and hold fish for a number of reasons although the most important one usually revolves around attracting forage.   While looking at the contours try drawing the hump, inside turn, submerged point, basin hole, etc. depicted by the contour lines. This exercise really helps in learning the visualization process. But a restrained comment about angler behavior is needed.  Pulling out a map book or fishing map while motoring away from the dock is too late…unless serious time has been spent studying the map to formulate a plan for fishing.   They will plan every detail, including favorite “secret” lures but not look at the map to formulate a game plan based on the basics – what species and what season. Catch fish by solving the location puzzle. The basic parts are quite simple: A. Study your favorite species seeking several answers. When do they spawn, what is their forage, what is the water temperature preferred, where are their locations on a seasonal basis. Significantly, where does your favorite species live in the   lake – weeds, drop-off edges, drowned wood, docks, cribs, deep underwater   points….well, you get the picture. Expert anglers are knowledgeable about the fish to be pursued.  It can’t be said more forcefully – know the habits of the fish you’re after. B. Obtain a quality map book or fishing map that shows species and forage available and describes structure and cover (weeds, drowned wood, etc.) C. Learn the map and mark areas to begin fishing…again based on where fish should be located based on the season – spring, summer, and fall. If provided marked fishing areas, fish them and add to the areas by marking the map with information important to you. D. Seek information –   ask questions for the lodge host. Are the fish in the shallows yet? Is spawning complete? Are the walleye still relating to the shallow weedlines…or have they moved deeper yet? What are the lake levels….because if down 3 feet;   we have to be aware of possible “new” hazards because of the change in depth. Go over a map with the lodge personnel, asking good questions on location of your favorite fish. A researched product –  map – is a library of information – far more than a mere depiction of contour lines. It starts with species…is there a good walleye population on this water.  Our fisheries is sustained by natural reproduction and YES, we do have a slot policy on the lake   What are the trends – is the fishery up, have   populations improved…or have changes occurred? What are the growth rates –   fast or slow. Each question answered opens the door to success – fish caught. Successful anglers use a combination of tools for success. Obviously, a quality depthfinder is a must…as is learning to interpret what is being shown. However, knowledge about your favorite gamefish coupled with location details and the fishing map – is the real key to success. No secret lure, new rod or reel, or gadget can match knowing your fish and their aquatic world. The location question is easily solved when equipped with great information based on solid research and analysis. We at Wawang Lake Resort believe our lake map provides the absolute best combination of years of researched fishing information with accurate details showing fish species migration for the different seasons and contour lines accurately showing depths that many fisherman have found to be quite helpful during their fishing trip. Follow our HUNTING BLOG WEB   RATES     FISH    HUNT    CABINS    PHOTOS TESTIMONIALS    BROCHURE    HUNT BOOKLET Subscribe to Blog via Email Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Email Address: Subscribe Name(required) Email(required) Comment(required) Email Me.... 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Fall Rigs for Late Walleye Fishing

From late summer though fall, live-bait fishing catches walleye every day in Wawang Lake. Other methods may catch more, but don’t count on it.   Especially when that weight sliding on your main line is perfectly in tune with depth, wind, bait type and size.

25″ WALLEYE

27″ WALLEYE

26″ WALLEYE

A leader separates a struggling live bait from that weight, giving it room to swim, squirm and attract fish. Simple. Beautiful. Deadly. But the key is putting that living minnow, leech or crawler on a target below the boat. Like a bombardier, rigging experts know how to triangulate their targets and allow for current, velocity and depth.  But being a rigging bombardier doesn’t require magic or genius. Triangulating, in this case, is simple. As you move deeper, use a larger weight. As the wind picks up, go with a larger weight. And as the size of the bait increases – well, you get the idea.

There is no doubt that it’s a proven system, and the most efficient live-bait delivery system possible.  Success is really about location, followed by time of year and bait selection. Carefully considering these ups your odds. The key to success with rigging is placing live bait precisely on a small target below the boat, and to do that it’s better to use a weight that is too heavy than one that’s too light.

• What are bass anglers good at – Accurate pitching to visible targets.

• What are walleye anglers good at – Putting a sinker in a 12-inch circle 25-feet down.

• That’s why sinker size and type is critical.

Leaders testing 4- to 8-pounds and 4 feet long (from swivel to hook) are optimum most of the time. Some anglers primarily rigs with two types of sinkers from late summer on: Lindy Walking Sinkers – the most popular rigging weights ever – and Lindy Rattlin’ No-Snagg Sinkers.

Lindy rigs really shine on main-lake points and humps from late summer through fall.  They maintain bottom contact to cover those critical transitions from hard to soft bottom that attract baitfish. Transitions are classic rigging zones.  Transitions show up on sonar – the hard bottom showing bright and dense while soft substrates return a weaker signal.

Use a sensitive, medium-light, 7-foot rod with braided line on the reel.  Braid doesn’t stretch, so it transmits vibration and feel much better.  You can tell when your bait is almost to that point where the bottom changes, helping you visualize exactly where it is.

During late summer, walleyes move out on main-lake points and humps to depths of 20 to 25 feet. By late autumn, it’s common to find them 35 to 55 feet down.  Follow them down through fall with heavier sinkers.  If it’s windy, go even heavier. Again, it’s better to go too heavy than too light. If you can’t feel bottom, go up a notch in weight.

Weekend anglers often forget that rigging isn’t just dragging baits around on bottom.   Criss-cross transitions, moving from shallow to deep and back again.

When marking walleye on the edge of a break at 25 feet, snake from 27 to 23 and back down.  When the bait’s moving away from them, going shallower or deeper, they react as if it’s trying to get away.   Also lift the rig off bottom as it approaches a marked fish.  Using the Rattlin’ No Snagg Sinker, shake it. Raising it off bottom can trigger a reluctant fish. It’s that escape trigger – making walleye think the baitfish is moving away.

Which brings up another important point, after every bite, try to remember exactly what you were doing before it happened – what direction you were going, how fast you were moving, how high or fast you lifted the bait. All those factors become pattern identification. That’s how you go on to catch four, five or a dozen more. And once you catch a few fish off a point or hump, try to find the same kind of spots. That’s how you create patterns with Lindy rigs in the fall.

When a fish bites, feed it line for at least 10 seconds while slowly maneuvering the boat toward the fish.   Sometimes wait up to a minute.  If they really whack it, it’s 10 seconds.  If they barely pick it up, let them take it longer and point the rod right at the fish and move the boat over it, slowly picking up slack. When you feel tension, set. If you miss,  let them take it longer next time.

The sinker selection is the key element that many anglers overlook for late-summer, early fall walleye rigging.

It’s all about striking a balance between wind, depth, and bait size. You want to stay relatively vertical in deep water. Mostly use 1/2- to 1-ounce weights late summer through fall because walleyes are 25 to 45 feet down. And use bigger minnows in fall, lip hooked on size 4 to size 1 octopus-style hooks. You want to be right below the boat when you’re on fish, but you have to keep moving to find them, so you have to strike a balance that way, too. Once you start marking fish, zero in on that depth.

Sometimes it helps to pulse your trolling motor and change direction and speed.

That’s what triggers strikes when Lindy rigging – slight variations in speed and direction. And if using that Rattlin’ No Snagg sinker, lift, drop and shake it a lot to activate those rattles. That triggers strikes, too. But choose the shape and type of sinker based on bottom type, cover and conditions to be efficient.

• The classic Lindy Walking Sinker is perfect for sand, gravel and subtle transitions in clear water.
• The No Snagg shines around broken rock, wood and boulders, and the Rattlin’ No Snagg is right whenever the water is cloudy.

Another bonus is that No Snagg wobbles a little bit, which moves the bait. It twitches a leech, crawler, or minnow just a little bit. That’s all it can take to trigger a walleye.

But don’t forget to zig-zag. And pause when you mark a fish. Lift the bait, too. And shake it. Just dragging bait around won’t cut it most days.

Name(required)

Email(required)

Comment(required)

Email Me.....

Fishing Rates OUTBACK Adventure Info BROCHURE

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Fishing Maps Is The Key to Success

No Other Resorts, Homes or Cottages on our 5,000 acre lake.  This fishing giant is for our guests only!  Join us at Wawang Lake for some incredible fishing! Catching fish starts with preparation! Yes, a big statement…but in the end successful anglers have discovered a tool more important than custom fishing rods,   “secret” lures or state of the art depthfinders. Preparation spent   studying quality contour fishing maps is always important. This time spent reading and learning from researched fishing maps is the most significant key to improving skills so fish are caught on most outings- for gamefish in our lake such as walleye and northern pike. It has been said before but deserves repeating. A quality fishing map has been compared to the pirate’s treasure map, leading us to the spot that yields our special prize…treasure in the form of the fish we want to catch. Good anglers take that next step in skill by challenging themselves with new waters – whether a family vacation to northern Ontario or serious fishing trip to Wawang Lake located in NW Ontario. And going to new water without studying the contour map is like going to fight a grizzly bear armed with a pen knife.In the last 30 years hydrographic maps (with contours) have come into their own as fishing equipment has moved through a sea change of technology – quality depthfinders, GPS, underwater cameras, along with huge   changes in rods, reels and terminal tackle. Much of the push has come from the incredible success of walleye tournaments and further enhanced recently by other fishing organizations promoting tournaments. While all of us can get swept up in the latest fad, lure or gadget, fishing maps and map books provide the basic knowledge for everyone –  from novice angler to the pro’s.Satellite mapping is now being used but remains limited because of the inability to “see” and map below the surface of stained water. New computer created mapping technology has enhanced accuracy, but  most fishing maps remain based on Ontario or Provincial efforts, which originally came about not for fishing but boat navigation. A quality fishing maps  starts with the fundamental framework – an accurate representation of the lake outline and contours. Contours are no more than a series of lines that depict the lake slope from the shoreline to the deepest basin.   With contours in place, quality fishing maps providing superb clues to fishing success – displaying submerged islands, reefs, humps, flats, elongated submerged   points, flats, and more. These basic components are loosely called “structure” – a term dear to the hearts of any fisherman – beginner to expert. Each map – no matter whether detailed or hand- drawn will  have some form of legend and compass direction – the arrow pointing north.   The contour map is far from the whole story. Most lake maps get to the contour stage, including some of the newer computer generated on the market…but won’t take the next steps, which require research, study and   understanding of the relationship of fish to their environment throughout the seasons.  This fish migration of information that we’ve gathered for over 40 years has been detailed on our lake map specifically for our guests. All of us quickly discover the fundamental law – no   “food” – no fish. With the sole exception of spawning, gamefish will always – and “always” is a strong word – be relating   to “groceries” and weedlines tend to be the most important attracting cover. Fish will never be far away from their next meal…except for the most unusual circumstances, not important to our discussion. The forage or prey ranges through the whole cycle – from   microscopic zooplankton for fingerlings to juvenile fish and large minnows for gamefish. All are available on the weedline cover and the legend of a good map must display the symbols of the three basic weed types. Changes in bottom  materials can be everything to fishing success. As anglers ourselves and host to many fishermen, we know where one component transitions to another is and where fish will be caught. The change from shoreline sand to gravel or gravel to broken rock, or sand to mid-basin muck, for example, creates edges attractive to all fish. Walleye will often move loosely along transition zones of gravel merging to broken rock or cobble. All pertinent bottom materials and shoreline structure is shown in detail on our lake map. Let’s pause for just a moment. Everything said before   indicates that gamefish are creatures that relate to objects –   boulders on the lake bottom, humps, submerged points, weedlines, docks,  well you get the idea. Let’s think of “edge” as the key concept….fish relate to anything that provides an “edge” and all of these structure and cover elements provide something different…our “edge.” With that said, contour lines are the tools that allow us to visualize the slope and shape of the lake bottom. To visualize we have to “see” below the two dimensional world of the lake surface. One must create a mental image of what lies below…the gradual slope that drops sharply to the lake bottom; a hump that rises from a bottom of 20 feet and tops out at 10 feet; the long underwater point that is shown by the contour lines, a lake hole surrounded by shallower depths; an inside turn depicted by the contour lines, and so forth. For example, a submerged point – usually an important lake structure for a variety of gamefish – will appear as a series   of contour lines pointing away from the shore like a finger or knife blade. Remember the basic rule   – the closer the contour lines the steeper the drop-off edge…or conversely the wider the interval the more gradual the slope…perhaps to even a region very flat. The numbers on the contours tell us the contour interval – if one line indicates five foot depths and the second line 10 feet, we have a five foot contour interval. This interval again helps develop the visualization of how steep the slope. When a good fisherman sits down to study a fishing map, they are looking for those “edges” already mentioned.  An edge or change in bottom or cover (weeds, drowned wood, docks, etc.) will attract and hold fish for a number of reasons although the most important one usually revolves around attracting forage.   While looking at the contours try drawing the hump, inside turn, submerged point, basin hole, etc. depicted by the contour lines. This exercise really helps in learning the visualization process. But a restrained comment about angler behavior is needed.  Pulling out a map book or fishing map while motoring away from the dock is too late…unless serious time has been spent studying the map to formulate a plan for fishing.   They will plan every detail, including favorite “secret” lures but not look at the map to formulate a game plan based on the basics – what species and what season. Catch fish by solving the location puzzle. The basic parts are quite simple: A. Study your favorite species seeking several answers. When do they spawn, what is their forage, what is the water temperature preferred, where are their locations on a seasonal basis. Significantly, where does your favorite species live in the   lake – weeds, drop-off edges, drowned wood, docks, cribs, deep underwater   points….well, you get the picture. Expert anglers are knowledgeable about the fish to be pursued.  It can’t be said more forcefully – know the habits of the fish you’re after. B. Obtain a quality map book or fishing map that shows species and forage available and describes structure and cover (weeds, drowned wood, etc.) C. Learn the map and mark areas to begin fishing…again based on where fish should be located based on the season – spring, summer, and fall. If provided marked fishing areas, fish them and add to the areas by marking the map with information important to you. D. Seek information –   ask questions for the lodge host. Are the fish in the shallows yet? Is spawning complete? Are the walleye still relating to the shallow weedlines…or have they moved deeper yet? What are the lake levels….because if down 3 feet;   we have to be aware of possible “new” hazards because of the change in depth. Go over a map with the lodge personnel, asking good questions on location of your favorite fish. A researched product –  map – is a library of information – far more than a mere depiction of contour lines. It starts with species…is there a good walleye population on this water.  Our fisheries is sustained by natural reproduction and YES, we do have a slot policy on the lake   What are the trends – is the fishery up, have   populations improved…or have changes occurred? What are the growth rates –   fast or slow. Each question answered opens the door to success – fish caught. Successful anglers use a combination of tools for success. Obviously, a quality depthfinder is a must…as is learning to interpret what is being shown. However, knowledge about your favorite gamefish coupled with location details and the fishing map – is the real key to success. No secret lure, new rod or reel, or gadget can match knowing your fish and their aquatic world. The location question is easily solved when equipped with great information based on solid research and analysis. We at Wawang Lake Resort believe our lake map provides the absolute best combination of years of researched fishing information with accurate details showing fish species migration for the different seasons and contour lines accurately showing depths that many fisherman have found to be quite helpful during their fishing trip. Join us for some OUTSTANDING Fishing AT  WAWANG LAKE RESORT RESERVATIONS RATES